Over the years, explosive fluid distribution, e.g., petroleum based fuels, chemicals, gases, has expanded nationally and internationally so that trucks, trains, boats, and various other transportation systems transport explosive fluid to and from explosive fluid distribution centers and customers. For example, one problem that continues to remain with fuel distribution systems, however, is that because various fuels are combustible the fuel distribution environments remain potentially explosive. This potential explosiveness, for example, can result from explosive fluid fumes, explosive fluid residue, or the explosive fluid itself igniting when exposed to electric sparks or intense heat. Accordingly, to address this risk, the explosive fluid distribution industry has designed systems over the years to be primarily mechanical in nature and to be heavily insulated from potentially explosive scenarios.
Nevertheless, like many other industries, the explosive fluid or fuel distribution industries also have a need to be automated so that explosive fluid or fuel distribution can more accurately be planned, tracked, and controlled. If electric components are added to explosive fluid distribution systems, however, electric sparks are always a potential occurrence which many companies do not want to risk. Adding heavily insulated electrical equipment to an existing explosive fluid distribution system such as a fuel meter, however, can be expensive, complex, and quite burdensome to existing fuel meter owners. Also, the noise and other interference from an industrial environment can make tracking and controlling these systems difficult.